Portable mold for concrete culverts and bridges.



.A. J. FISHER.

PORTABLE MOLD FOR CONCRETE GULVERTS AND BRIDGES. APPLICATION FILED AUG.10. 1908.

920,448. v Patented May 4, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET v1- A. J. FISHER. PORTABLE MOLD FOR CONCRETE GULVERTS ANDBRIDGES. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 10, 1908.

920,448. Patented May4, 1909.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2 0 226661 I 1"" I 22 4M aw TN: NORRIS PETERS 60.,WASNIMGTON,-D. 1:.

A, J. FISHER,

PORTABLE MOLD FOR CONCRETE GULVERTS AND BRIDGES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. l0 1908.

Patented May 4, 1909.

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UNITE OFFICE.

ANDREW J. FISHER, OF BUDA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LOUIS H. SCOTT, OFPRINCETON,

' ILLINOIS.

PORTABLE M10111) FOR CONCRETE CULVERTS AND BRIDGES.

shoveled and tamped, and allowed to set and dry, after which the lumberforming the mold was knocked apart and removed. The

labor involved in erecting molds in this way and the waste of lumber itnecessarily entailed have added greatly to the cost of erection of suchculverts and bridges; and unless great skill and care was employed bythe mold .constructors the finished culvert or bridge would not presentthe smooth, regular and attractive appearance desired.

My object is to provide an improved iron or steel knock-down mold forculverts or bridges, formed of members which may be readily attached toand detached from each 0 other, whereby the mold may be erected indesired position very quickly and at little expense for labor; result inproducing a smooth and sightly concrete molded structure, and be easilyremoved without waste of parts, so that the mold may be readilytransported and used over and over again. Referring to thedrawings-Figure 1 is a sectional view of my improved culvert or bridgemold erected upon a concrete foun- 0 dation, the section being taken online 1 in Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a View partly in section and partly in sideelevation, the section being taken on line 2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, aplan-view of a concrete foundation; Fig. d, a top-plan 5 view of themold and illustrating the manner of applying a strip of tar-paper, orthe like, over the open joint at the top of the arch; Fig. 5, anenlarged vertical section of one of the end-molds, the section beingtaken on 0 line 5 in Fig. 6; Fig. 6, an enlarged fragmentary sectiontaken on line 6 in Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a further enlarged fragmentarysection of one of the said end-molds illustrating details ofconstruction Fig. 8, a fragmentary section of the arch-form taken online 8 in Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 10, 1908.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Serial No. 447,707.

taken on line 10 in Fig. 9; and Fig. 11 a view similar to Fig. 6, butshowing the manner of applying wing-molds to the end-molds.

The framework of the arch-form portion of the mold is formed ofarch-bars 12 preferably T-shape in cross-section, each of which may, asshown, be segmental and extend approximately a quarter of a circle.These are provided with bolt-holes equidistant apart and similarlypositioned in each of the bars. The ends of companion bars 12 arefastened together by means of segmental tie-plates 13 having elongatedbolt-openings 14 to receive bolts 15 which pass through the said bars.

In constructing a bridge, or culvert, a foundation 16 of concrete isfirst laid and permitted to set and become more or less dry. Thearch-bars 12, fastened together at their ends by means of the tie-plates13, are then placed upon the foundation as indicated in Fig. 1, andarch-plates 17 ap roximating in length that of the segmenta bars arefastened at their edges to the bars by means of bolts. The bolt-holesprovided in the plates are equi-distant apart and spaced to registerwith bolt-openings in opposite sides of the heads of the T-bars. Theplates 17 are caused to abut and fit closely against each other at theirside edges and are fastened to the bars 12 by means of bolts 18 whichare formed with shallow round heads and held in place by nuts. As manyarchbars and plates are fastened together in position as may berequired, and to relieve strain upon the tie-plates 13 and bolts, wedges29 are driven between adjacent ends of companion arch-bars.

The end-molds are formed with outer walls 19 and inner walls 20 taperingtoward each other as indicated, and end-walls 21, allconstructed as mostclearly shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The inner and outer walls are formedof horizontal plates 22 abutting together at their edges and therefastened together by horizontally extending channel-bars 23. Theedge-portions of the plates and the channelbars are formed withco-incident bolt-openings, and bolts 24 having shallow rounded headsfasten the plates to the channel-bars The bolts are provided withremovable nuts as indicated. The end-plates 21 are fastened in place bymeans of round headed bolts as indicated in Fig. 6. They are U- shapedin cross-section and taper longitudinally to give the desiredinclinations to the inner and outer walls of the end mold. Each end-moldis open at the top, and its outer wall presents a. segmental cut-awayportion leaving an arch or opening. The end archplates taper to. fitagainst the inner surfaces of said outer walls and carry angle-iron bars25 which are bolted to the outer walls to fasten the arch and end moldstogether. The inner wall of each end-mold has a cut-away arch-portion 26describing the segment of a circle somewhat larger than the built-uparch, leaving between them a space of approxii'nately the dimensions andshape of the intended concrete arch-portion of the culvert, or the like.When the end-molds are erected in proper position as described the moldstructure is complete.

The concrete is poured into the top of each of the end-molds, orshoveled in and'tamped, and concrete is plastered over the arch-form toa thickness which will cause its outer surface to approximate the are26. The moldends and arch-form are left in place until the moldedconcrete has set and become sufficiently dry.

The T-bars 12 and plates 17 do not abut at the to line of the arch, butare held slightly spaced apart by the tie-plates 13 and wedges 29, asmost clearly indicated at Fig. 9. The opening 27 thus left may, beforethe molding operation begins, be covered with a strip 28 of tar paper,or the like, which will prevent the concrete running into the saidspace. The plate-joining bars 12, 23 and 25 besides strengthening thestructure, batten the joints between plates and prevent their leaking.

The construction shownin Fig. 11 shows adjuncts applicable to theend-molds described, to enable the same molds to be emloyed for formingculverts, or the like, with inclined wing-extensions. In this case innerangle-plates 30 and outer angle-plates 31 are bolted to the ends of theplates 22, and inner and outer suitably shaped wing sideplates 32 arebolted, thereto, as shown. The endplates 21 instead of being fastened tothe plates 22 are bolted to the outer edge-portions of the plates 32.hen it is desired to 'remove t 1e mold, the wedges 29 are knocked outand the bolts at the tie-plates 13 are loosened to cause thearch-portion of the mold to collapse slightly and free itself from themolded concrete arch. The plates and.

T-bars may then be unfastened from each other and taken out piece bypiece, or, if de sired, after removing the wedges and. tieplates, thetwo longitudinal built-up members of the two-part arch form, may beremoved bodily. The mold-ends may also be removed by taking out thebolts which fasten the members thereof together. In erecting molds forculverts for roads of different widths, it is only necessary to increaseor diminish the number of the intermediate plates 17 and bars 12employed. The said. intermediate plates 17 and arch-bars 1.2 being allconstructed alike are interchangeable and easily placed in position.Concrcte culverts and bridges molded in my improved mold will always beperfect as to shape and proportion and. present smooth and sightlysurfaces.

I am aware that it has been proposed to provide a mold constructed of aframe-work of lumber with flashings or shoulder molding parts, the inneror inside walls of which are spaced apart from and connected to the end.walls of the mold proper by bolts, but I am not aware that prior to myinvention a knock-down metal mold has been provided with an end-mold.having a cutaway archportion describing the segment of a circle somewhatlarger than the built-up arch, and leaving between them a space ofapproximately the dimensions and shape of such arch portion and throughwhich opening the concrete extends when tamped into the hollow end moldand unites with the concrete forming the arch-portion.

While I prefer to construct my improved. mold of attachable anddetachable members constructed as shown and described, naturally theconstruction may be variously modified in the matter of details withoutde arting from the spirit of my invention as cleaned by the claims.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A knock-down metal mold for concrete culverts, and the like,comprising in combination, a two-part arch-form each composed. ofsegmental bars, and plates curved to extend longitudinally of and toconform to the contour of said bars and removably fastened. at theirside edges to the bars, and hollow end-molds fitting against said formand constructed of plates and bars removably fastened together and eachprovided. on its inner face with a cut-away arch portion, substantiallyas, and for the purpose set forth.

2. A knock-down metal mold for concrete culverts, and the like,comprising in combination, an arch-form composed. of a series ofcompanion arch-bars removably secured together at their upper ends,arch-plates eX tending longitudinally of the said bars and removablyfastened thereto at their lateral edges and hollow end-molds fittingagainst said form and constructed of plates and bars removably fastenedtogether and each provided on its inner face with a cut-away archportion, substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

A knock-down metal mold for concrete culverts, and the like, comprisingin combination, an arch-form composed of a series of companionarch-bars, tie-plates removably securing the companion bars together attheir upper ends, arch-plates extending longitudinally of the said barsand removably fastened thereto at their lateral edges, and hollowend-molds fitting against said form and constructed of plates and barsremovably fastened together and each provided on its inner face with acut-away arch port-ion, substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

4. A knock-down metal mold for concrete culverts, and the like,comprising in combination, an arch-form composed. of a series ofcompanion arch-bars, tie-plates removahly securing the companion barstogether at their ends in spaced relation, arch-plates extendinglongitudinally of said bars and removably fastened thereto at theirlateral edges and extending slightly short of the top of the arch-formto leave a space, a coveringstrip for said space, and hollow end-moldsfitting against said form and constructed of plates and bars removablyfastened together and each provided on its inner face With a cut-awayarch portion, for the purpose set forth.

5. A knock-down metal mold for concrete culverts, and the like,comprising in combination, an archform composed of a series of companionarch-bars, tie-plates removably securing the companion bars together attheir ends in spaced relation, removable Wedges interposed between theends of said comp anion bars, arch-plates extending longitudinally ofsaid bars and removably fastened thereto at their lateral edges, andhollow end-molds fitting against said form and constructed of plates andbars removably fastened together and each provided on its inner facewith a cut-away arch portion, for the purpose setforth.

ANDREW J. FISHER.

In presence of- O. F. Soo'r'r, M. E. NELSON.

